Self‐Sustaining Water–Electricity Co‐Supply Via a Wirtz‐Pump‐Driven Triboelectric Nanogenerator

ABSTRACT Simultaneously securing clean water and reliable electricity remains a formidable global challenge, particularly in infrastructure‐deficient off‐grid regions. However, existing co‐supply strategies are hindered by decoupled operating mechanisms and limited energy density. Here, we present a Wirtz‐pump‐driven triboelectric nanogenerator (WP‐TENG) that enables both water conveyance and electricity generation within a self‐sustaining platform. Powered by ambient water flow, the Wirtz pump leverages the air‐lock effect to lift fluid as segmented liquid columns, thereby inducing periodic liquid–solid triboelectrification along the pipe wall. Crucially, the electrical output is boosted due to the dynamic evolution of the interfacial electric double layers within the inner–outer electrode configuration. Through systematic parameter optimization and modular integration, the WP‐TENG achieves a volumetric flow rate of 200 mL·min −1 and a hydraulic head of 0.82 m, while delivering peak outputs of 920 V and 940 µA, exceeding those of reported liquid–solid TENGs under comparable conditions. Moreover, the platform powers an electrochemical disinfection module, enabling sustained 5‐log microbial inactivation within 10 min during prolonged operation. This work establishes a self‐sustaining platform for decentralized water–electricity co‐supply and offers a scalable route toward water–energy resilience in resource‐constrained environments.

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Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Energy Materials
Published
2026-09-12
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.71578
Primary Topic
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Self‐Sustaining Water–Electricity Co‐Supply Via a Wirtz‐Pump‐Driven Triboelectric Nanogenerator

Dan Tan, Zhiming Lin, Hengfei Zhang, Zhuoyang Lu et al.
Advanced Energy Materials
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
article

Self‐Sustaining Water–Electricity Co‐Supply Via a Wirtz‐Pump‐Driven Triboelectric Nanogenerator

Dan Tan, Zhiming Lin, Hengfei Zhang, Zhuoyang Lu, Zhong Lin Wang, Hui Ding, Xiangyang Liu, Maogang He, Ying Zhang, Yichen Zhang
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Simultaneously securing clean water and reliable electricity remains a formidable global challenge, particularly in infrastructure‐deficient off‐grid regions. However, existing co‐supply strategies are hindered by decoupled operating mechanisms and limited energy density. Here, we present a Wirtz‐pump‐driven triboelectric nanogenerator (WP‐TENG) that enables both water conveyance and electricity generation within a self‐sustaining platform. Powered by ambient water flow, the Wirtz pump leverages the air‐lock effect to lift fluid as segmented liquid columns, thereby inducing periodic liquid–solid triboelectrification along the pipe wall. Crucially, the electrical output is boosted due to the dynamic evolution of the interfacial electric double layers within the inner–outer electrode configuration. Through systematic parameter optimization and modular integration, the WP‐TENG achieves a volumetric flow rate of 200 mL·min −1 and a hydraulic head of 0.82 m, while delivering peak outputs of 920 V and 940 µA, exceeding those of reported liquid–solid TENGs under comparable conditions. Moreover, the platform powers an electrochemical disinfection module, enabling sustained 5‐log microbial inactivation within 10 min during prolonged operation. This work establishes a self‐sustaining platform for decentralized water–electricity co‐supply and offers a scalable route toward water–energy resilience in resource‐constrained environments.

Advanced Energy Materials
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN), Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems (CN), Xi'an Jiaotong University (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
Industry, innovation and infrastructure
Openalex Percentile: Top 20%
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
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